My LiA at the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf began with a demanding yet exciting assignment: drafting a grant proposal for a new research project. The project aimed to investigate whether nursery rhymes could be used as an intervention to support hearing-impaired children in developing language and literacy skills. The idea was to compile a collection of carefully selected songs into a structured songbook, which could then be used in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). By adopting this RCT design, we could generate rigorous, long-term evidence of impact, ensuring that the benefits of the program would not be anecdotal or short-lived but supported by measurable outcomes. I had to learn how to weave together academic literature, community needs, and practical considerations into a coherent narrative that funders would find compelling. 

This first week taught me the importance of purposeful advocacy. Leadership is not only about having a strong idea but also about presenting it with integrity so that it genuinely reflects the community’s needs. I realised that writing a grant proposal is itself an act of leadership: it requires vision, persuasion, and responsibility. I could not simply describe the project in abstract terms; I had to translate it into something that was concrete, implementable, and inspiring enough to attract support.